Sushi Samba Park

Doesn't Recommend

nybapfood

Joined 5 years ago

Not the freshest. For a restaurant with the very word "Sushi" in its name, I was extremely surprised. While I understand it is a fusion restaurant that my father has frequented many times in the past, my first occasion here was a disappointment. The sushi was not fresh, the seaweed was soggy and chewy, the rice was flavorless. The more exciting dishes were mediocre, such as the random chili additives to typical sushi. One thing, however, was very memorable: the mochi ice cream desert. It was probably the best mochi ice cream I've ever had, with very different flavors--the day I went there was Mango, Vanilla/Chocolate Coconut, and Lychee. Quite delicious.

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harlemhoney

Joined 5 years ago

Great Experience!. The service here is great and so is the food! I had been to the one in Miami many times and wanted to try the NY one out. The hostess (i think her name is Dana) was sooooo nice! We had to wait awhile for our reservation, which was ok b/ we had great mango mojitos at the bar, and when we sat for dinner she sent us over Tuna Tar Tar as well as beef skewers to apoligize for the wait. Our waiter was great and helped us order the best things off of the menu incld the crab cakes!! Overall it was a great time and i will def be coming back again!!!!

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David119

Joined 5 years ago

BEST Brunch in the city. Took my sister who was visiting here for Brunch yesterday and it was the best I've had in the city. Even better than places like Balthazar and Pastis. We ordered the 4 course family style brunch special they had. The eggs benedict was a cool twist from the usual with smoked salmon instead of canadian bacon. The smoked fish plate was delicious, the sauce was one of a kind. And the steak and eggs was the best I've ever had. In addition to the food, we indulged in some mid afternoon drinks. I had the Nina Fresa while my sister had a Mimosa.

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toasterbunny4

Joined 5 years ago

Worth it for the drinks and atmosphere. The service at Sushi Samba is fantastic; the servers have a relaxed, hip, and friendly demeanor when they interact with you, but the service style is professional and formal. They even have bathroom attendants that help you wash your hands. The decor is also very "cool" and trendy, and the drinks are out of this world (try the signature Brazilian drinks with cachaca!). But while the cuisine is innovative and the menu is fairly diverse, nothing I tried was so great that I'd order it again. The calamari appetizer with cornmeal breading was interesting and fairly good, the tuna seviche with jalapeno and almond was fiery but somewhat one-dimensional, and the pork tenderloin entree was well-prepared but un-adventurous.

The problem is, the portions are rather small, and everything is pretty expensive (four dollars for a tiny bowl of rice? $15 for seviche with a portion size of a golf ball?). The food is good -- but not good enough to warrant that high price tag. I'd gladly pay $15 for a golf-ball portion of seviche that was worth it, or for rice that was really unique in some way. But I just didn't feel the quality of the food was really deserving of its expense.

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TheSherpa

Joined 5 years ago

Something NEW. This place is a great divergence from the same old sushi menu you can find anywhere. I wasn't sure about the idea of mixing South American elements and ingredients with Japanese cuisine until i tasted it. The result is a spicy, natural mix of two cultures that have perfected the art of raw seafood. There was something on the menu for everyone in our group, including great steak, seafood and vegetarian options. The atmosphere is relaxed but the food is fine-dining quality. Check it out.

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babiruth

Joined 5 years ago

AWESOME!!!. What is wrong with the people writing these reviews. People are complaining about not getting seated fast because they came late, that they don't like the hostesses, ooooh it's too expensive (go to a diner then if you want to get a DISCOUNT on FOOD). Whatever.... Get over it. They obviously don't appreciate a good thing when it's being digested in their stomach. Anyway..... The food is amazing here. My server was super nice and very informative. This menu is extensive. Expensive too, but there isn't food like this anywhere else in NY. Get the Neo-Tokyo roll... I am completely addicted. And I want to know how to make that spicy sauce that came with it. so perfect. The seviche was yummy, Chilean Sea Bass - excellent. My mojito was quality and my second and third even better. And I loved the different flavors for the mochi, so cute. not made in house, but tasted good, so I don't really care. I already made reservations to go back next week with friends. I recommend you do the same.

Doesn't Recommend

nelehelen

Joined 5 years ago

Terrible Hostess. The food and drinks at Sushi Samba is good, but not outstanding for the price. I liked the twist they gave, infusing Asian and Brazilian tastes. The waiter was very polite and friendly. However, the hostess was incompetent. There was really no organization and it gets super crowded. We had a reservation for 6 guests and we were only missing one person, but the hostess refused to seat us until the whole party was there and insisted that we wait at the already crowded bar.This is just silly because what was wrong with sitting down 5 of the 6 at a table that was already available instead of keeping us at the bar where there was obviously no room for hungry patrons and waiters coming in and out to get drinks. Aside from the hostess, the experience was decent, but that and the unremarkable, expensive food is enough reason for me to not go back.

Doesn't Recommend

aleahing

Joined 5 years ago

Overrated. I didn't find this sushi particularly better than most decent sushi places in NY. I think it's overpriced and you can find better sushi for much less money. The restaurant is nice looking, the food is OK at best. I had heard great things about this place, and I was frankly disappointed. Way overrated.

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Foodie1313

Joined 5 years ago

Best bar staff!. I was there on Saturday night and had a wonderful time! The drinks were wonderful(get a Nina Fresa) and the bartenders were fun and flirty! It is a must to visit!

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rachelb82

Joined 6 years ago

Best Sushi in NYC.. LOVED this restaurant. Started off with a watermelon martini - which offered a nice smooth taste that was unique and memorable. We had never been before - so we opted to let our waiter decide our menu for us. After giving a price per person to our waiter, he arranged the best selection of appetizers and main courses - and everything he picked was amazing. The sushi was fresh and crisp - I cannot wait to go back.